Carthage Jail

Carthage Jail serves as a witness to the martyrdom of Joseph and Hyrum Smith, as well as the continuation of the Prophet’s mission following his death.

Built in 1839, Carthage Jail was the first jail in Hancock County, Illinois. Joseph and Hyrum Smith arrived at Carthage Jail on the evening of June 25, 1844, where they were imprisoned while awaiting trial on the charge of treason. Two days later, on June 27, a mob of armed men stormed the jail. Both Joseph and Hyrum were fatally shot, while companions John Taylor and Willard Richards miraculously survived. An account of the event, titled “Martyrdom of Joseph Smith and Hyrum Smith,” was published a few months later in the 1844 edition of the Doctrine and Covenants, and is now canonized as Section 135.

Carthage Jail was primarily designed for those who committed minor crimes such as petty theft. These individuals were held in the cell on the first floor. Occasionally, individuals charged with more violent offences were imprisoned in a cell on the second floor, which had thick limestone walls and small slit windows. George Stigall, the jailer, and his family used the bedroom on the second floor. Joseph and Hyrum spent time in each of those rooms while incarcerated, ultimately being attacked by the mob while staying in the jailer’s bedroom.

Read about the martyrdom at Carthage Jail in Saints, Volume 1, Chapter 44.

What to Expect

Carthage Jail is a four-room guided tour that includes the jailer’s living area and a cell on the first floor and a second, more-secure cell and jailer’s bedroom on the second floor. The tour of Carthage Jail begins in the visitors’ center, where missionary guides will provide a brief orientation and show a short video.

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